Chopper attachment for cultivators



3 SMets-Sheet J. w. H uTcHlNs CHOPPER ATTACHMENT FOR CULTIVATORS Filed Aug'. 29, 1927 June 19, 192s.

June 19, 1928.

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ATTCRNY June 19, 192s,

J.' w. HpTcHlNs cHoPPER ATTAQHMET FOR' cULTIvAToRs v Filed Aug. 29, 1927 mvENron I ATTORNFY Patented .lune 19, 1925.

` intrisa UNITED STATES PATENT oFFiceiy Juivivmsw. nofroiiiivs, or washer, ormai-roma.

CHOPPER ATTACHMENT FCR CULTIVATORS.

Application filed '.iiigust-$29,*19537,r Serial No. 216,218.

This invention relates tocotton .choppers and its primary object is 'to provide acotton chopper attachment for a cultivatoi, that can he associated with various type cultivators and cooperatethereivith so that the cotton can loe cut or thinned simultaneously with the plowingthereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cotton lchopper attachment for cultivators that isl capable of adjustmentand can be timed for chopping out cot-ton in accordance with. the operators desires. l

A further object ofk the invention is to provide a cotton chopper attachment for cultivators .that is capalole rof `heing'operat.- ed independently of the cultivator so that either can he operated accordingly, or simultaneously. y,

This linvention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the .combination and arrangement of the several parts, to he hereinafter fiillydescrilocd, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and specifically .pointed out in the appended claims." y i ln describing iny iiiventionjiii detail, re Iference will he had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or correspondingparts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l'. is a side elevation of the attachment forming the subject matter of the present invention j and-showing 'the Isame appliedto a cultivator of the'walking type.

Figure 2 is a similar Viewy ofv the attachmentrper se, and showing fragmentary portions of the cultiVatOr. y

Figure 5B1-is a top plan 4vview ofthe attachment. i

4,Figure 4 is a sectional vieu7 taken approximately on line 4-14 of Figure 2 vlooking in the direction of the arrows.' r Y Figure'5 is a fragmentary side elevation ofthe chopping hoe gearing and showing the same applied and arranged for opera-j ting the hoes. v f j Figure 6 is a similar view showing the gears arranged Afor operating the'hoes at different intervals from that shown in Fig-l ure 5. y l

` Figure 7 is a sectional view taken approximately Online 7-'7 of Figure v5 looking in the direction'of the arrows. l

Figure 8 is a front'elevation of tliescrapers and the mounting therefor.l v

Figure 9 is asectioiial View taken through f ene of lthe scrapers and its mounting.

Figure l() is aside view of one ofthe scraper-s.

rFigure 11 is asimilar view of one of the Scraper mountin Figure 12is a sectional view taken approximately on line.12-..12 of Figure 11. yFigure 13 is a view ofthe axle for the attachment.- n Figure 14 is a view of a single hoe'in ap` plied position. f f

l/Vhile I have shown my'attachment secured to aicultivator of the walking type it will he obviousthat itcan he applied to any type cultivator for cooperation therewith in the cultivation of cotton-orothei' like growing crop., .n i

vReferring to the drawings indet'ail the'letter Aindicatesthe` tongue for the cultivator which includes the yusual adjustable arch B secured to the plow beams C which have fixed thereto plows D and associated` there- .with handles E.-

.- Securedto the tongue A in advance of the arch is ajU-shaped bracket 1 which'stra'ddles the tongue as shown, and has secured tothe -depending arms thereof as-bestjshown in Figure 1 of thedrawings, the body strips 2 and 3 .of theA chopper and these body strips are arranged in parallelism, vand are subn stantially .V-shaped information so as to provide the converging arms 4 and 5 as shown foreach strip.y v Y f y .Secured to the arms 4 adjacent the apex of the strips are bearingbrackets 6 within which is mountedfor rotation av sha-ft 7 having ground engaging wheels-'8 mounted for longitudinal 1 adjustment `thereon `and these wheels are held in adjusted position through the instrumentality of faV pin 9` passing through the hub thereof andj anyoney of the transverse openings forined'in the `end portions of the shaftas best.` shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. g j y Depending from the tongue andy disposed rearwardly of the connection of the arch-VB therewith are j spaced parallel lsubstantial-ly V-shaped members 10 yand l1 which 'have' their upper ends adjustably secured to the tongues and their lower ends rterminate inhearings 12 within which is mounted astub shaft 13 having collars'14 adjustaloly secured thereon. through the medium of stud bolts 15. By securing the collars 14 to the stub shaft 13 as shown, it will be apparent that the shaft can be adjusted longitudinally in the bearings and retained at any desired adjusted position therein. Secured to the inner end of the stub shaft is a pinion 16 which is adapted to be arranged .in the path of a gear 17 having formed on its opposed faces teeth arranged in groups. It will be noted that one face of the gear 17 has teeth arranged in three groups while the opposed face has itsV teeth arranged in two groups. The teeth that are arranged in three groups have their groups disposed diagonally with respect Yto each other, and each of these groups are indicated by the reference numeral 18, and the teeth that are disposed in two groups have their groups disposed diametricallyT opposite each other as shown in Figure 6, and these groups are indicated by the reference numeral 19.

Secured to the V-shapedmember 11 is a forwardly disposed plate 20 which has fixed thereto and ydepending therefrom a resilient pawl `21. The pawl 21 has its lower end engaging the teeth of the pinion 16 and acts -as a means to prevent the rotation of the pinion 16 and shaft 13 thereof when the said pinion is out of mesh with its respective -groups of teeth. However, the pawl 21 will not yeffect the rotation of the shaft when the pinion is in mesh with the teeth, due to the inherent resiliency of the pawl as will be apparent.

' rlhe shaft 13 has detachably secured intermediate its ends, the shanks 22 of the hoe blades 23. The shanks 22 have formed adjacent their inner ends semi-circular portionsl 24 and the semi-circular portion of one of the shanks cooperate with the semi-circular portion of the other shank for receiving the shaft 13 as best shown inFigure 4 of the drawings, and these shanks are fixed to the shaft. through the medium of bolt and nut connections 25, while a set screw 26 cooperates with the bolt and nut connect-ions for this purpose. The outer ends of the shanks 22 are bentat right angles to their body portions and have the hoe blades 23 riveted or otherwise secured thereto.

The arms 5 are bent intermediate their ends to provide substantially fiat portions 27 to accommodate a cross head 28 which is secured to the flat portions as best shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Mounted for vertical adjustment in the cross head and arranged in spaced relation with respect to each other are the Shanks 29 of scraper blades 30. The scraper blades are of the usual construction and include laterally and outwardly flared corner portions31. In order tomount the scraper blades for any desired adjustment, it will be noted that these blades have `fixed thereto a slotted member 32 curved transversely upon itself as best shown in Figure 12 of the drawings,

and secured to the member 32 byI bolt and nut connections passing through the slots thereof are links 33 which are provided with enlarged arcuate lshape upper ends 34 formed with curved slots 3,5 to receive a bolt and nut connection which passes through the shanksl as suggested in Figures 9 and 11 of the drawings, and the shanks are pivotally secured to the links intermediate their ends as at 3G. By this construction, it`will be obvious that the scraper blades can be adj usted forwardly, rearwardly, laterally and the angles with respect toeach other, and also vertically, due to the slidable movement of the shanks 29 through the cross head 23. The cross head 23 is provided with bearing guides 37, and mounted in the bearing guides as best shown in Figure 3 are set screws for securing the scraper blades in their respective vertical adjusted positions.

The body strips 2 and 3 Aare substantially braced by arms 33 having one of their ends secured to the arch arms B intermediate 'their ends while the opposite ends of the arms 33 terminate in bearings 39 which receive the snanks 29 of the scraper blades.

The upper ends of the arms 4 are bent in right angle formation upon themselves so as Vto dispose the upper terininals thereof in close pr frimity, and these upper terminals which are indicated. by the reference numeral 40 are yprovided with spaced openings. Passing through the tongue A is a bolt and nut connection which has it-s bolt also passed through a curved rack bar 41 secured to the tongue as shown, ,and fixed to one end of the bolt is a hand lever 42 which cooperates with the rack bar through the medium of a pawl engageable with vthe teeth thereof in the usual manner for adjusting thebody strips and elements carried thereby for a. purpose which will be apparent. rlhe hand lever has its lower end attached to the upper terminals of one of the arms4 and secured to the oppositeend of the boltis a link 43 having connectiony with the terminal of the other arm 4. The hand lever 42 and link 43 are adjustably associated with the respective terminals ofthe arms 4 and can be arranged in any one of the openings thereof as best shown in Figure 2.

lVhile l have shown two hoes associated with the shaft 13, a single hoe can be secured thereto and arranged vthereon as shown in Figure 14 of the drawings, and all that is necessary to do when it is desired to replace a single hoe with a pair of hoes is to remove one of the hoes and its shank and securea plate 44 to the remaining hoe shank.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawings, it will be obvious that l have provided a cotton chopper that is capa-- ble of being adjusted in accordance with the operators desires sothat the cotton can be thinned accordingly, and when it is desired `to change the time operation of the' hoes, the

shaft 7 can be removed from the arms 4 thiough the medium of its bearing 6 and replaced so that the face of lthe l gear 17 which is'secured to said shaft `can be disf posed so that either group of teeth canv be arranged for cooperation with the pinion 16, and when the three groups are disposed with respect to the pinion'16 as shown in Figure 5, it Willbe obvious that the travel .of the hoes will be at greater intervals thany When the two groups of teeth are arranged with the pinion as disclosed in Figure 6 'of the drawing. AThe pawl 21 prevents *rotationof i form manner.

the pinion during the travel of the gear from one group of teeth to the other so that the cotton or other crop that-.is being thinned byv the apparatus will be so thinned in a unif- 'Ihe gear y-vvill be disposed out of the path ofl the'pinion 16 Whenlthebody strips are raised through the medium ofthe hand lever 42 and ofk course the hoes and scraper blades Will likewisey be disposed to inoperative position, as Well as the ground engaging Wheels 57, with ,the result the entire 'structure can be made inoperative -wvhile conveying the chopper to andk from places of` use as Wellv as in making turns at the ends of rows and the like in a. field. 1 n

While I have disclosed my chopper associated With a Walking cultiva-tor, ity can be associated With a tongue in the same man# ner as disclosed in the drawings and used separate and distinct from a cultivator or parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope ofthe appendedclaims.

What I claim is: 1. A cotton chopper of the character described comprising a tongue. body strips of` V-shaped formation arranged in parallelism and having one of their ends adjustably associated with said tongue, means adjustably secured to theI opposite. ends of said body strips foil raising and lowering the salne, means for retaining said body strips in their adjusted positions, a shaft secured to said strips, a gear fixed to said shaft, hoes mounted for rotation, and means betWeen said gearv and hoes for operating the latter.

2. Ann apparatus of the character describedV F omprising a tongue, body strips having one ofl their endsy adjustably secured to said tongueand'- being formed in substantially Vv-shapedI configuration,r a shaft mounted forfrotation `with respect 'to said' strips, ground engaging wheels securedv to said shaft, agear having teeth disposedupon its opposite faces in varied group formation, members rdepending from said tongue in parallelism, a kshaft 'mounted iny the lower end of said members, chopping lmeans secured-to said shaft, and a pinion on said shaft j `and adapted `to cooperate with the groups ofteeth oneither face` of said'gear yas and for the purpose specified.

3. Any apparatus of the character described comprising a tongue, body strips having one of their ends adjustably securedfto said tongue, a shaft carriedby said body strips and Lbeing mounted for rotation, ground engaging `Wheels secured to said shaft, a gear secured to said shaftintermediate its ends,

and having teeth formed in varied group formationpon its opposed faces, a second kshaft arranged at right angles' to the shaft first mentioiied,chopping means `carried by the second shaft. and a pinion secured to the second shaft and adapted to cooperate with the teeth of the vgear for operating the chopy ping means, means'for'adjusting said body strips with respect to' said tongue, and scraper blades carried by said strips.

' 4.- An apparatus of the character described y comprising a tongue, body strips having one ofk their` ends adjustably secured lwith* respect Lto `said tongue, a shaft mounted for rotation' and carried by said body strips, ground engaging Wheels for said shaft, a. gear secured to said shaft intermediate its ends, teeth arranged in varied group formations upon the opposed faces of said gear, a shaft disposed at right angles to the shaft first mentioned and having connection With said tongue, chopping means securedv to the second kmentioned shaft, means for rotating .the second mentioned shaftfrom t-he gear,

said first mentioned shaftbeing removable for associating either group of teeth with said means for varying the operation of the chopping means. accordingly and means adjustably secured to the opposite ends of said body strips for adjusting the latter.

5. The combination With a cultivator andlits tongue, of a cotton chopper yassociated With the cultivator and carried by its tongue, comprising body strips arranged in .substantially V-shaped formation, bearing brackets secured to one ofthe arms of the body strip adjacent their juncture With the other arms thereof, a shaft mounted for rotation in said bearing brackets, ground engaging Wheels adjustably'secured to said shaft. a gear carried by said shaft intermediate its ends and being provided with teeth formed on its opposed lfaces `in varied group formation, a second shaft mounted for longitudinal adjustment and at right angles to the shaft First mentioned, chopping means secured to the second mentioned shaft and means Jfor rotating said second mentioned shaft from the gear and from any of the groups oit teeth on said gear, and means 'for adjusting the position of said body strips.

6. The combination with a cultivator and its tongue, `ot a ,chopping apparatus ot the character described comprising body strips having one oit their ends adjustably secured with respect to said tongue, substantially V- shaped members l depending from said tongue, a shaft mounted t'or rotation in the lower ends of said members, chopping means secured to said shaft, means for rotating said shaft at varied intervals and being carried by t-he body strips, means for adjusting the body strips with respect to said tongue, and adjustable, scraper blades secured to said body strips, f

7. The combination with a cultivator and its tongue, of a chopping` apparatus comprising a pair of body .strips disposed iu parallelism and having one ot their ends adjustably associated with respect to said tongue, means adjustably secured to the opposite ends ot said body strips 'for adjusting the same with respect to said tongue, said means being carried by .said tongue, substantially if-shaped members adjustably secured to said tongue and depending in parallelism therefrom, a shaft mountedfor rotation in the lower ends oit said V-shaped u'ieu'ibers, chopping means secured to said shaft, means for rotating the shaft at varied intervals and being carried by the bodj,v strips, ground engaging Wheels tor operating said means, and adjustable scraper blades arranged in advance ot' thechopping means and mounted upon said body strips.

8. A cot-ton chopper ot the character de-` .scribed comprising a tongue, body strips having one oit their euds adj ustably secured with respectto said tongue,means 'for adjusting the body strips at desired heights with respect to said tongue and retaining said strips in their adjusted position, hoes mounted for rotation, and means for rotating said hoes at varied intervals and being carried by said body strips.

9. A cotton chopper of the character described comprising a` tongue, body strips having one of their ends adjustably secured thereto and being arranged in substantially V-shaped formation, flat portions formed in one of the arms of the body strips, a ycross head secured to said flat portions, scraper blades, sha-nhs for said scraper blades and being mounted tor adjustment in said cross head, means for adjusting said scraper blades and being secured thereto and the shanks respectively, chopping mea-ns disposed in the rear of said .scraper blades and being mounted for rotation, means for ro* tating said chopping means'at varied intervals, and means tor adjusting said body strips and retaining the samein their re spective adjusted positions with respect to said tongue.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

JUNMUS W7. HUTCHINS. 

